Environmental Stewardship

FCA US, Ford and General Motors Work to Reduce Their
Environmental Footprint

FCA US, Ford and General Motors are taking a comprehensive, all-inclusive approach to “going green”. Combining innovation, engineering and ingenuity, the U.S. automakers have implemented environmentally friendly measures from the start of production, to the final sale of the vehicle.

Not only have the automakers designed eco-friendly, fuel-efficient vehicles, but they have also implemented factory-standards to further minimize their total environmental footprint. From reducing energy consumption and water usage, to recycling vehicle manufacturing waste, to building eco-friendly facilities, FCA US, Ford and General Motors are working to be responsible stewards of the environment.

To name just a few examples, General Motors is repurposing used wood pallets into wood beams for the homebuilding industry. Further, General Motors has transformed the grounds of their Grand Blanc, Michigan Customer Care and Aftersales Headquarters into a wildlife habitat, certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council. In constructing the habitat, they used recycled materials such as Chevrolet Volt battery covers, converted into duck nesting boxes.

Ford has aimed to reduce their footprint by extensively using recycled materials in their vehicle production. The seat fabric on the Ford Fusion is made from recycled water bottles, and post-consumer recycled nylon is used in vehicle components, such as engine fans, HVAC temperature valves, engine covers, cam covers and carbon canisters. Ford also uses soy oil in the production of the seat foam for all of the company’s North American vehicles.

FCA US has made extensive corporate efforts to encourage its dealer-network to put in place high environmental standards for their facilities. The company has established a new Dealer ECO (Environmentally Conscious Operations) Program, to recognize dealers that demonstrate eco-friendly practices. Among other implementations, some dealerships have installed extensive solar-panel systems and rainwater collection systems, to lower their overall environmental footprint.

The American Auto Industry is doing its part to innovate and reliably and dependably “go green.”

General Motors is reportedly developing an all-new 55 kW max/30 kW continuous power inverter which will find its way into future hybrid and electric vehicles released by the company, including the next-generation Chevrolet Volt. The new inverter was announced by GM’s Sean Gleason at the Department of Energy’s Annual Merritt Review in June, where he revealed they are nearly two-thirds of the way finished the $16.6 million project.

The industry has long viewed the metal as a way to make vehicles lighter and more fuel efficient, but obstacles such as cost and manufacturing technology relegated it to niche applications, usually luxury vehicles, while steel remained the material of choice for the majority of the industry.

A 1.0-liter option, described as small enough to fit inside an airplane's overhead compartment, is available to car buyers seeking a fuel-efficient vehicle that doesn't sacrifice too much in the way of power.

It's the Ford 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine which is driving the 2014 Ford Fiesta and it's also planned to be available in the automaker's 2015 Ford Focus.

Chrysler Group may have found a hit with the light-duty diesel engines that it putting in its Ram full-size pickups and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The number of buyers opting for the 240-horsepower V-6 EcoDiesel is substantial enough that Chrysler is asking its Italian supplier, a Fiat subsidiary, to send more of the engines, Automotive News reports.